If your yard is in need of some color and greenery, you’re in luck! With a few inexpensive materials and a free weekend, you can build an attractive planter that will last for years. Check out this guide for step-by-step instructions on how to build your own planter.
You will need:
You will need:
- Brick planter box
- Bricks (depending on the shape of your planter)
- A bucket of cement (approx. 50lb bag for every 1ft2)
- Water
- Steel trowel or shovel (for mixing the cement)
- Wooden float (to spread the cement).
+brick planter box
- +brick planter box
- +bricks (depending on the shape of your planter)
- A bucket of cement
- Some more points to cover in this section are:
a. water (lots) and a steel trowel, and a wooden float, Start by laying the bricks out in front of you and then put them into place on top with some mortar between them.
+bricks (depending on the shape of your planter)
If you’re going to use bricks, you’ll need to find some. You can buy them from a hardware store, or if you have extra time on your hands and want to save money, you can order them online. If you’re looking for more of an adventure (and want the satisfaction of finding your own), go out into the world and look for old brick roads! See if any locals are willing to sell them off at a reasonable price. Another option is using reclaimed bricks—check out local salvage yards in your area for these hard-to-find treasures. Last but not least, make your own! Bricks are super easy to make out of clay.
+a bucket of cement
Before you start, it’s important to make sure you have the following:
- a bucket of cement. Be sure it is clean and has a lid on it. It should be in good condition and large enough to hold the amount of cement you need to use.
+water
You’ll need water to help the cement and bricks stick together. As you can see from the photo above, when I first started building my planter wall I forgot to water the concrete before laying down my first course of bricks. The end result was a very bumpy surface that did not look good and was difficult to build on top of. So make sure you always use wet mortar.
Water is also required for other important aspects of brickwork: it helps settle all those loose sand particles in your masonry mix so they can be compacted into place; it helps cure plugs (plaster-like substances used to fill holes where no mortar has been applied); it helps dry out freshly laid segments as soon as possible so they don’t get damaged by rain or freezing temperatures; finally, water causes chemical hardening within each layer’s structure—which creates stronger walls over time.
+a steel trowel
A steel trowel is a long-handled tool that you use to spread mortar. A steel trowel is made from a strong, durable material like steel, and it can be used for many years without breaking. When you build with bricks, it is important to use a steel trowel because the bricks are heavy and need mortar to hold them together. The mortar will break if you do not have enough of it or if your hands are too wet from water sprinklers in the garden during planting season.
+a wooden float
The wooden float can be used to smooth out the surface of your planter if you are creating a curved wall. This is because it won’t stick to wet cement, so it’s easy to smooth out.
If you’re making straight walls, use your hands or a trowel instead.
Start by laying the bricks out in front of you. This will give you a visual idea of your planter and what you are going to make. It is also a good way to ensure that you have everything ready before starting.
The first step is to lay the bricks out in front of you. This will give you a visual idea of your planter and what you are going to make. It is also a good way to ensure that you have everything ready before starting.
Once you have laid all of your bricks out, take a few moments to consider where the top should be placed because this will ultimately determine how high or low your planter will be when complete.
Put on some protective gear such as goggles and heavy-duty gloves before mixing up cement and water. Using a trowel, mix them to the right consistency and apply it over an area outlined by bricks. Spread it evenly with a float, working from the edges to the center.
You will need to wear protective gear such as goggles, heavy-duty gloves and a long-sleeve shirt. Also make sure you have some trowels or floats on hand. You will want to mix cement with water in the correct proportions for your project, which may require some trial and error. If your mixture is too soupy or dry, simply add more water or sand respectively until it reaches the desired consistency. Once you have made sure that everything is ready to go, use one of the trowels or floats to spread an even layer of cement mixture over an area outlined by bricks. Work from the edges towards the center so that any bubbles rise up rather than outwards toward other areas where they could cause cracking later on down the line.
Place all the bricks inside this, pressing firmly to seal them into place. Allow the cement to dry for two days.
After you have sealed the bricks into place, allow the cement to dry for two days. You should not add soil or plants until the bricks have dried out completely.
Brick planters should be made out of clean and dry bricks that are free of any dirt or debris. When building your planter, make sure to leave enough room between each brick so that you can easily get your hand in between them if needed. The gaps will also allow extra drainage for excess water during rainstorms or heavy watering times. If you want to add soil and plants later on, ensure that they do not sit directly on top of the bricks—this will prevent roots from entering into contact with chemicals found in some cements used as mortar between each brick unit. A well-drained potting medium (or soil mixture) is also important since this prevents overly wet conditions inside which may cause fungi growth on either sides of your planter’s interior walls.
Once you’ve built your planter box, you can plant flowers or plants inside it.
Your planter box is now ready for use! You can use it to grow flowers and plants inside your home, or you can leave it outdoors as a decorative planter. If you have any questions about what type of plants would work best in your new brick planter box, we’re here to help. Our staff members are always happy to answer all of your questions about our products, so don’t hesitate to ask away.
Final words
We hope this step-by-step guide has been helpful for you.
